Centering for construction of arches



Dec. 20, 1955 E. CRUCIANI 2,727,281

CENTERING FOR CONSTRUCTIQN OF ARCHES Filed Oct. 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheetl Dec. 20, 1955 cRuc 2,727,281

CENTERING FOR CONSTRUCTION OF ARCHES Filed Oct. 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Eus ro (bribe/uh 0' 1421170 y-neyg,

United States Patent 0 The object of the present invention is acentering having a lightened cross-section, for masonries in general,arch or dome shaped of whatever form. The centering may also be used assupport for fiat or curved structures, and it may form also a supportingstructure for slating, foot-bridges and the like. 9

It is known that the construction of wood centerings presently employedrequires cutting, rivetting or gluing operations, or anyhow workingswhich alter the dimensions of the wood elements, so that said elements,when the centering is demolished, cannot always be used again a for theconstruction of other centerings having a different shape. It is alsoknown that the construction of totally iron made centerings requiresexpensive and heavy equipment of special materials.

The purpose of this invention is therefore that of manufacturingcenterings, with preferably wooden elements, of limited varieties andeasily connectable, so as to obtain, according to exigencies, bendingsand various shapes through the sole operation of mounting, and with thepossibility of using again the same materialsseveral timesfor structureshaving different shapes and however loaded.

The system of manufacture of the centering according to the invention isthe following:

A first layer of boards or superposed sheets, held together by rivetingsor by even provisional loops, is first of all made, out of their placein the construction and on a pre-arranged and suitable mould. On theexternal side of this layer, at pie-established constant or variabledistances, are placed elements, preferably of wood, composed by one ormore pieces of width, length and height deriving from the calculation ofthe structure, forming distancing elements of the aforecited layer froma second layer which will be described hereafter.

Said second layer of boards or sheets, similar to the former, is thanconstructed, resting on the free bases of the distancing elements.

Compressing elements are then placed in correspondence of eachdistancing element between the two layers, said compressing elementsbeing suitable to connect and to stiffen the parts already constructedand being preferably embodied in the form of loops comprising an upperand a lower cross bar, and two lateral arms which may be brought tocompress the complex by means of threading, wedges or other analogoussystems. The compressive stress of these loops must be controlled andadjusted by means of gauging of the elements used for giving thecompressive stress, i. e. of the key for the nuts and of the hammer forthe wedges.

If the calculation indicates the necessity, the aforecited compressivemembers may be completed or substituted by transverse connectionsbetween the described cross bars, or between additional cross bars, inthe shape of a frame-work, and by secondary members pressing on 70single layers of boards or sheets possibly interposed between thepreceding ones.

Whenever advantageous, one or more groups of boards or sheets may besubstituted or helped by tie-rods or metallic or wood posts.

When its construction is ended, the centering is put in its place or itis mounted if made in more parts.

A preferred form of embodiment of this invention is shown, merely by wayof example, in the attached drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a lateral view of a portion of a centering, with a superposedlayer of masonry;

Fig. 2 shows a detail, in enlarged scale, of the sole centering, inlateral view;

Fig. 3 shows a generic cross-section of a complex of centeringscomprising six centerings placed side by side, connected and stiffened,to support the masonry to be made, and

Fig. 4 shows a cross-section taken along the line IV-IV of Fig. 2.

With reference to the drawings: by 1 is marked the first layer ofsuperposed boards, which may be held together by the loops 2.

By 3 are marked the distancing elements, and by 4 the second layer ofboards.

The compressing members are formed by the tie-rods 5 which are placedlaterally to the distancing elements 3, the compressing function whereofis completed by the framework arranged tie-rods 6.

In the figures the system of the different tie-rods has been shown asput under tensile stress by means of threading and nuts; but, as hasbeen noted before, the tie-rods may also be put under tensile stress bymeans of wedges or analogous systems.

The different tie-rods are engaged in cross bars 7 through which theyexert their function without requiring special applications in the wood,which would damage this latter, preventing its re-employment.

The various centerings, once embodied, may be placed side by side inorder to obtain a complex of centerings, as shown by way of example inFig. 3, wherein by 8 has been marked the supporting element of thevarious centerings, by 9 a generic structure for the upper connection ofthe centerings, on which structure is afterwards cast the cement 10.

The supporting structure for the cement, even if otherwise embodied, isalso visible in Fig. 1, and has been marked by 11, while the cement onit has been marked by 12.

The invention has also the advantage of eliminating the encumbranceunder the centering, which is very useful for the free passage of water,or for the maintenance of the transit when overbridge is constructed orin the case of overpassing water courses or very embanked valleys andthe like.

The invention allows furthermore the utilization of the very foundationsof the construction to be made and consequently it allows to totallyeliminate, or at least reduce the number of the intermediate supportsand requires the use of small quantities of materials, besides allowingtheir almost total recovery.

It is to be noted that in particular cases, the distancing element orelements may be abolished and in this case the two layers join into one.

I claim:

1. A centering for construction of arches formed of separable, re-usableelements, comprising two arches, each of said arches comprised of aplurality of layers of boards, a plurality of pairs of cross bars placedon the outer layers of said arches opposite each other transversely tosaid arches and extending over the edges of said layers, boltsconnecting the ends of each pair of cross bars, said bolts and crossbars holding said layers in engagement with each other, a plurality ofspacing members positioned between the mner surface oi the first archand the outer surface'of the second arch and holding said arches spacedfromeach other, a second plurality of pairs of said, cross bars placedon the outersur-face of the first arch and the inner surface of thesecond arch and extending over the edge of :said arches and aligned withsaid .spacing members, and tie rods connecting the ends of each pair ofsaid cross bars of said second plurality and holding said arches againstsaid spacing members.

2. A centering for construction of arches asclaimed in claim 1, having aplurality of additional tie rods connecting the ends of such of thecross bars'of said second plurality as .are aligned with spacing memberswhich are adjacent to each other.

3. Acentering for construction of arches formed with separable,re-usable elements, comprising a plurality of arches, each of saidarches comprised of a plurality of layers of boards, a plurality ofpairs of cross bars placed on the outer layers of said arches oppositeeach other transversely to said arches and extending over the edges ofsaid layers, bolts connecting the ends of each pair of cross bars, saidbolts and cross bars holding Said layers in engagement with each other,a plurality of spacing members positioned between the adjacent surfacesof said arches and holding said arches spaced from each other, and asecond plurality of pairs of said cross bars placed on the outer surfaceof the outer arch and the inner surface of the inner arch and extendingover the edges of said arch in the same position as said. spacingmembers, andtie rods connecting the ends of each pair of said cross barsof said second plurality and holding said arches against said spacingmembers.

4. A centering for construction of arches formed of separable andre-usable elements, comprising two beams having a plurality ofsuperimposed layers of boards with their ends offset in relation to theends of adjacent boards, a plurality of loops, each of said loopsencircling one of said beams holding said layers in engagement with eachother, the first of said beams being bent upwardly, the second of saidbeams being longer than and positioned on top of the first beam and bentupwardly with a radius of curvature less than that of said first beam, aplurality of spacing members positioned between said beams, a pluralityof pairs of cross bars positioned transversely to said beams oppositeeach other on the 'uppersurface of the second beam and the lower surfaceof the first beam with the ends of said crossbars projecting over theedges of said beams, and tie rods connecting the ends of the pairs ofcross bars, said cross bars and tie rods holding said beams against saidspacers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 9,090Bradway et al. July '6, 1852 25,852 Sprague Oct. 18, 1859 263,333 GodmanAug. 29, 1882 1,219,123 Macmechen et al. Mar. 13, 1917 1,330,771Tregillus 'Feb. 10, 1920 2,251,578 Rietzke Aug. 5, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS24,405 Switzerland of 1901 53,183 Austria Apr. 25, 19-12

